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c. LEA. MEANS FOR SPHCING THREAD 'END$. v I APPLICATION HLED FEB 3 I915- R ENEWEL SEPT. 15, 1920. 1,383,130. Patented June 28,- 1921;

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. LEA.

MEANS FOR SPLICING THREAD ENDS. APPLICATION FILED FEB- B. I915- RENEWED SEPT. i5, 1920. 1,383,130. Patented June 28,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- wi'lneases jiivenior aizarzc Zea a J WW UNITED STATES PgATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEA, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN WARP DRAWING MACHINE COMPANY, OE BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

MEANS FOR SPLIOING THREAD ENDS.

specification of Letters Eatent.

Patentedldune 28, 1921.

Application filed February 8, 1915, Serial No. 6,905. Renewed September 15, 1926. Serial No. 410,484.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES Lnn, a citizen of the Unitec States, and resident of Boston, Mass: :husetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Splicing Thread Ends, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for splicing together the corresponding ends of two series of warp threads in order that the tail end of the nearly exhausted warp already positioned in the loom harness may be employed to draw the initial ends of the new set of warps through the harness.

l-leretofore, it has been the practice to tie the corresponding ends of the old warp threads and the new warp threads together by hand, but it has been proposed to avoid the inconveniences and loss of time. due to this method by laying the entire series of threads of each warp set with the correspond ing threads over-lapping each other and then to fasten the over-lapped ends together by means of individual fastening clips applied thereto. It is the object of this invention to carry out effectively and expeditiously the splicing together of two sets of warp threads by providing a mechanism more or less automatic'in its action which is capable of performing this work.

To this end the invention comprises the combination with a suitably formed guide member by which the corresponding threads of the two series are held in juxta-position of a clip setting means by which the indi vidual clips are applied to each pair of overlapped ends. The mechanism as shown is provided also with automatic means for feed ing the clips into position, which is in preference to the positioning of the clips by hand because it expedites the work of the machine.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully explained in the following specification and will be clearly defined in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a preferred form of embodying the principles of this invention, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the complete machine arranged in position for operation;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing in detail the actuating mechanism for rotating the feed shaft and advancing the carriage;

Figs. 3 and t are detail views of the feed shaft and its detent for holding it into or out of operative position;

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation showing the relations of the clip setting and clip feeding mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail view in reverse elevation to Fi o showing the punch and the clip strip in operative relation;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the rack bar with the clip setting punch in position to setthe clip;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a detached fastening clip;

Fig. 9 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the clip completely set around the two over-lapped ends of threads.

In the practice of my invention, according to the form illustrated in the drawings, I provide a longitudinal guide bar of a length approximately equal to the vidth of the loom for which it is intended. This guide member a is somewhat similar to a rack bar, it being provided with series of projecting teeth a forming regular guides for receiving each set of overlapped threads and be ing preferably rounded or curved at their lower ends shown at a in order to assist in setting the fastening clips. The guide member or its teeth a in this case are provided on their opposite sides with a series of alining notches a which form a pair oflongitudinal ways or grooves to receive the inturned ribs or flanges of plates 6 secured to opposite sides of the carriage 7).

The carriage Z) is provided with two vertical standards If, b which support the principal parts of the working mechanism. In these uprights is mounted the main shaft 0, operated by a driving wheel 0 which in this case is a hand-driven wheel. For advancing the carriage, I provide a wave cam (1 provided with an interrupted helical blade d arranged to pass between adjacent teeth a of the guide member so that each revolution of the carriage shifting cam d serves to advance the carriage one step or tooth along the rack bar. The carriage shifting cam d is prong side as shown in Fig. 6. The strip and is carried into. the plunger groove;

vanced into the path of the punch or plun ger e which in that case acts both to shear off the successive clips and to clench or set them around the over-lapped pairs of thread ends, as best shown in Fig. 6. l

The clip used in this case is preferably L -shaped in cross section and is provided on one side with a middle prong 7" and on the opposite side with two end prongs f When made in a continuous strip, I prefer to alternate the arrangement by having the one-prong side alternate with the twois preferably wound on a reel or spool F or run-way at e by means of a supporting or guide plate f which is sufficiently thin to enter between the opposite sides of the clip so that the clips slide forward to the runway astride of this supporting guice plate, as shown in Fig. 6.

The strip is advanced step by step by means of an intermittently rotated star wheel 9 having two sets of prongs g, g on opposite sides so arranged as to engage the Vshaped notch between the prongs 7' of each successive clip, first on one side and then on the other. The run-way e forgthe plunger or punch is approximately the width of a single clip and is positioned to guide the clip When severed from its strip and forced down by the plunger into the space between the two adjacent teeth of the rack bar a. As the clip descends between the teeth, they engage the converging curved faces a of the teeth and are bent inwardly and clenched or set around the final traverse in Figs. 7 and 9.

Tn order to afford a slight retardation to the threads by of heoi h 'l c 1 inc as inc icated the lowermostside of the strip as it is being sheared from its strip, I provide a detent in the form of a small spring-pressed ball through an aperture which projects lightly in the vertical wall of the runway a in 130 sition'to yieldingly engage the forward edge of the severed clip. This detent is merely to assist theproper positioning of'the severed clip as it descends into the guide spaces between the rack teeth. ,The intermittent rotation of the starwheel or stop-feeding, wheel 9 is accomplished by means of a shaft h whose squared end passes through a squared aperture in the center of the wheel 9 and to whose rear end is secured by a check nut a sprocket wheel h whose teeth are successively and intermittently engaged by an eccentric pin a on the carriage feeding cam 03 so that each.

rotation of the carriage feeding cam and of the shaft 0 serves to rotate the shaft 7L one tooth or step, the teeth of the sprocket wheel corresponding to the teeth of the star wheel g. The spring detent 72 carried by the projecting arm [a serves to prevent accidental movement of the sprocket wheel it.

As it is desirable to be able to advance the arriage or retract it in order to shift it to position to begin on the first set of warp threads wherever located on the rack bar, it provide means bywhich the clip feeding mechanism may be renderedinoperative at will. This is accomplished by shifting the shaft it longitudinally to the rear soas to bring the sprocket wheel h thereon out of the path of its actuating pin a. In order to retain the shaft 7?. in its two positions of adjustment without interfering with its r0- tation. when in operation, I form on the shaft Ladjacent to the standard 6 a pair of V-shaped annular grooves h If, and 1 locate ina socket formed in the standard 6 aspring-pressed ball detent it arranged to engage either one of the grooves M, [L5 while permitting the longitudinal shifting of the shaft when a sufficient push or pull is exerted thereon. The star wheel is prevented fromshifting with the longitudinal movethe face plate ment of the shaftby means of and a retaln- 2' on the front of the machine therear face of the star wheel.

,ing finger 2" arranged in position to engage The operationof the device is as follows:

The opposite ends of the two warp sets being each clamped to hold the individual threads or tuft of threads in proper order and relationship to one another are laid into the guide recesses between the guide teeth of the rack bar. The rack bar may be secured for this purpose directly to the loom frame itself or to any suitable support which w ll retain it in position to rccelvef 0. As explained, this results first in severing and setting the first; clip on the first pair of warp ends, after which the continued rotation of theshaft advances themachine one tooth by means of the wave-cam d, feeds the next clip into cutting off position, and brings the plunger 0 downward for the purpose of severing and clenching said clip. The operation continues until the last pair of warp ends is reached when the machine may be run back for the purpose of repeatingthe operation on a new set of-warps.

For convenience mg free ends of each set of warps fromin preventing the project sticking up in the way, I use clamping rods m, m, held in a pair of brackets m One set of warp ends having been laid into the guide bar, the bars or rods m are inserted to hold them taut, after which the next set of warp ends is held above them, and the bars 971.

forced into the position to hold them in position during the splicing operation.

What I claim is:

1. A. warp splicing machine embracing the combination of a guide member provided with a series of guides for receiving the ends of two series of threads in over-lapped position and a clip-setting device for securing upon said over-lapped ends a series of fastening clips to splice each pair of ends t0- gether, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a rack bar whose teeth form guides for retaining two sets of threads with the thread of one set overlapping the ends of the other set and a means cooperating with said rack bar to bind together the over-lapped ends of the two sets of threads, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combination with a rack bar for holding two sets of thread ends in overlapped position, a clip feeding mechanism for feeding fastening clips successively to the over-lapped threads, and means for clenching the clips around the over-lapped ends of the threads, substantially as described.

4. A. device for splicing warps embracing a guide bar for holding two sets of threads in juxtaposition, a clip feeding mechanism for feeding clips toeach pair of thread ends successively, a mechanism for fastening the clips upon corresponding threads of each series, and means for advancing the clip feeding and fastening mechanism along the guide bar, substantially as described.

The combination of a guide bar provided with guides for positioning corresponding threads of two series of threads in juxtaposition, a carriage movable along said guide bar, clip setting means mounted on said carriage in position to fasten successive clips on each successive pair of the two adjacent sets of threads, substantially as described.

6. The COlTilJlIltltlOIl of a guide bar formed with a series of guides for Spacing and holding the over-lapped ends of two sets of threads, a carriage mounted to travel length wise of said guide bar, means for feeding a series of fastening clips successively to the over-lapped thread ends, and a punch for setting the clips upon the over-lapped thread ends, said feeding means and said punch be ing mounted upon the carriage, and means for advancing the carriage step by step, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the guide bar provided with spacing teeth whose base portions are curved toward each other, a reciprocating plunger for forcing a series of fastening clips over interposed over-lapped thread ends and against the opposite curved base portions of the guide teeth in orderto clench the fastening clips around the thread ends, and means for guiding the clips to position beneath the punch, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the rack bar whose rack teeth are spaced to form recesses to receive the overlapped ends of two sets of threads,a carriage, a clip feeding mecha nism mounted thereon, and a cooperating punch for setting said clips upon the threads, and a rotating cam for engagement successively with the rack teeth to advance the carriage in order to bring the punch. and feeding device into operative relationship successively with each pair of threads.

9. The combination with a guide bar having individual guide teeth for positioning two sets of threads to be fastened together, a carriage, a driving shaft mounted thereon, a reciprocating punch having operative con nection with said shaft, a clip feeding mechanism also operatively connected with said shaft and coordinated with the movement of said punch, and means for advancing the carriage .operatively connected with said shaft, substantially "as described.

10. The combination with the guide bar having means for positioning cords to be spliced, a carriage mounted to traverse said guide bar longitudinally, carriage advancing means, a reciprocatory setting punch for setting clips around said cords, means for feeding fastening clips successively interoperative relationship to said punch, actuating mechanism for operating said feeding means, said actuating mechanism being adjustable from operative to inoperative position independently of the carriage advancing means, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the guide bar provided with means for holding cords in position to be spliced, of a traveling earriage, a setting punch mounted therein and acting to set fastening clips around thecords so held, a rotatable feeding member mounted in proximity to the path of movement of said punch in order to feed a series of fastening clips successively into position to be engaged by said punch, carriage advancing means, a shaft having driving engagement with said rotatable feeding member, actuating means for intermittently rotating said shaft, and means whereby the operative relationship between said shaft and its actuating mechanism may be established or interrupted independently of the movement of the carriage advancing mechanism, substantially as described.

12. The combination with clip feeding mechanism embracing a guide plate air ranged to support and guide successive strips into the pathway or the setting punch, and a rotatable member provided With projections for engaging the prongs of successive clips and advancing them along the guide member, means for intermittently rotating said feed member, a clip setting punch means for holding the cords in operative relation to enable the punch to set a clip around the same. and means whereby the .relative position of theclip feeding and set ting mechanism and the cord holding means is changed at each operation of the machine to Wrap. and set the successive clips around different cords to unite them. Y

13. In a machine for splicing cords the combination of a plunger mounted to reciprocate ina clip-receiving channel and acting to set fastening'clips around the successive cords to be united, a guide plate angularly disposed to the path of said punch and forming a support for the advancing clips a yielding detent arranged to project into said channel sufiiciently to yieldingly support one edge of the clip therein, an intermittently rotated feed member for advancing the clip along said guide into said channel, guide holding means and means for successively varying the relative positions of the clip setting and the cor d'holding means to set the clips successively upon different cords, substantially as described.

14. The combination With the rack bar Whose teeth form guides for over-lapped sets of threads, a carriage arranged to travel longitudinally thereof, means for advancing said carriage, clip feeding and clip setting means mounted on said carriage, a driving shaft having operative connection with the clip feeding and clip setting means and the the rack bar, a rotatable clip feeding memher, an actuating star Wheel operatively connected therewith, and a revolvlng pin for engaging successively the teeth of said star Wheel to impart a step by step rotation of said feed member at each successive operation, substantially as described. 7

Inwitness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

CHARLES LEA. In the presence of- Gno. N. GODDARD,

GEORGE A. ROCKWELL. 

